The Gift of Giving
by Life-In-A-Beautiful-Light
Summary: Joan Campbell hates hostessing. Yet this Christmas, she's hostessing Annie, Ryan, Auggie and Eric Barber. What could possibly go wrong with a two exes and the new boyfriend, a toddler and Eric Barber? (With very loose spoilers for S5. Fluff.)


"For someone who hates hostessing…"

...Joan Campbell was taking it to a whole new level. New plates - albeit fancier plates that had replaced the temporary cheap ones picked up at Wal-Mart after he had smashed up a bunch of them the last time Joan had hostessed but, still, new china plates nonetheless -, the silver cutlery set that had been a wedding present and had been rarely used and, Arthur couldn't believe that he was seeing them already on the dining room table just waiting to be lit, candles. His wife didn't do candles; those were his thing and she didn't care much for them unless they were used for a romantic meal - something that, admittedly, they didn't have much time for these days with an explorative toddler. "Oh bite me," she muttered, aligning the knives and forks for what must have been the tenth time.

He grinned as he slipped his arms around her waist, whispering into her ear. "I will. _Later. _After the kids have gone and our kid is asleep."

"Well, you're gonna have one hell of a wait, mister." She slipped from his grasp, her attention now focused on whether or not the candle holder that housed three, as of yet, unlit candles, was in the middle of the table. It was, but the control freak that run amok from time to time in his wife's head, begged to differ.

"Hey...give the kid some credit. He's been sleeping much better recently." And, as a result, all three of them were enjoying full night's of sleep instead of what had seemed like endless months of bickering at silly o'clock in the morning over who would get up and tend to their crying child. More often than not, and despite his insistence that he did not mind doing the needful, they both did, a victor never materialising before the wails intensified as did their guilt that they weren't doing anything.

He didn't have the heart to tell her and her inner control freak that the silver candlestick holder, of whose position she finally seemed content with as she turned to face him, was noticeably off centre, more right than left. "I wasn't talking about Mac, you idiot. I was talking about this evening. It's gonna drag."

"I have the distinct feeling that you're starting to regret tonight."

"You think?"

He just had to smile at her adorable irritability. The little pout, the crossed arms, the way her forehead crumpled as she frowned...he loved it. "Oh baby…" The smile that was on his lips just kept getting wider as he thought about just how much this had backfired on his wife. It was her idea and one that she was regretting; a very rare moment in which she was wrong. And if the night ended in a complete disaster then he'd always have it to refer back to, time and time again. Petty, maybe, but these moments were very few and very far between. He had to savour the ones he had at his disposal all that he could. "You've only got yourself to blame."

The look Joan shot him didn't work on him as well as it used to. It terrified everyone under her command at Langley and, according to rumour, was the reason why one particular rookie who had dared to try and question her decision, had swiftly handed in a letter of resignation. At work, Joan was a lioness who prowled the DPD and took no crap. At home, she was the pussycat that he sometimes caught singing lullabies to his son when she thought no one was listening.. "I only wanted to invite Annie as a way to say thank you for all that she's done for us, this past year."

Sure, that was Annie accounted for but... "What about Ryan?"

"He's Annie's boyfriend, she asked if he could come."

Arthur nodded, understanding at Ryan's invite and, also, grateful that the invite had been accepted. Ryan McQuaid was a good man and a man that would be his refuge when the ladies discussed crap that he would have otherwise been obligated to pay attention to, so that he could nod his head and say "yes" or "not" at the correct intervals. Little Mac was too young and unpredictable to be his wingman during such events - if he fell asleep, Arthur would be screwed. Therefore, Ryan's presence was a welcomed one. "And Auggie?" Another good man, it must be said, yet Arthur was a little worried about Auggie. Spending an evening in the company of your ex and her boyfriend? Even with ending things on the best of terms, there would be some level of awkwardness. And Arthur doubted that the Annie/Auggie relationship ended neatly with no loose strings - they were spies, after all.

"He overheard me asking Annie and I...I felt bad for not inviting him. He's not able to go home for the holidays and, after the year he's had, I felt it was best to not spend the day alone."

Again, he could not fault her reasoning. Instead, he loved how she cared so much. "Fair enough. So what about Barber?"

Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "He also overheard and then started rattling on about how he was meant to spend the day at his girlfriend's parents but they broke up and he didn't have any plans and-." Joan paused to take a much needed breath. "So, yeah. Eric Barber, a man who I have never, once, held a conversation that is not about work except that one tale of woe about his rather tragic lovelife, is also coming."

He dared to laugh, not fearing the repercussions. Even lullaby singing pussycats had their limits and Eric Barber inviting more or less inviting himself along through his guilt trip must be very close to pushing them. Yet, it was too darn funny not to laugh. "Is there anyone that's not coming?" He asked when his composure decided to come back to him.

"Lena," she said with a wicked smile. "Her invite must have gotten lost in the post or something."

"Oh...so cold."

"What? I genuinely would have invited her...and bought two turkeys so I could undercook one and serve her it 'cause foodpoisoning's a bitch and would have gotten along famously with her." 

His hands skimmed down her waist as he bit down on his lip, suppressing many an urge that would threaten the sanctity of Joan's prized layout on the dinner table. "I love it when you talk like that."

Smiling sweetly, she wasn't doing a damned thing to help those urges. Rather with her nose brushing against his, she was a tormenting force that, even after all these years, he still did not know how to tame. "Looks like someone, at least, is gonna enjoy this evening then."

# # #

"Beautiful."

The one word was steeped in honesty and made blood rush to Annie's cheeks as she emerged from McQuaid's ensuite bathroom. "Thank you," she smiled shyly whilst Ryan made no attempt to hide his own smile that was wide.

"I'm just making an observation," he said, softly as he ran his eyes up and down her. "You do not have to thank me for the truth."

"You're not looking so bad yourself, mister." Ryan, being Ryan, had opted for a suit as always yet had popped the first few buttons, showing his tanned chest. Very smart but casual for him. His eye for fashion was keen and he had picked out, and paid, for the dress that she was wearing.

"Good, I'm glad. This is a thousand dollar suit, after all."

Annie arched a brow. "Just a thousand?"

"I didn't quite catch the dress code; I didn't want to look like I had made too much of an effort. Although…" His breath tickled her neck. "With you on my arm, that's what it's gonna look like." "You're looking incredible, Annie Walker."

"You looking forward to tonight?"

"I am," he nodded as his fingers danced along her hips. "Yet, if I'm being perfectly honest, I'm a little shocked that the offer hasn't been rescinded yet."

Annie laughed. "It doesn't seem very Joan Campbell, is it?"

"Could say."

She couldn't blame him for thinking that. "It's 'cause you don't know her that well. That hardass act is just that - an act. Although don't you dare say that to her 'cause it may be an act but she can still kick your ass."

"Believe me, I have no intention."

"Good...'cause I want my man to survive Christmas dinner. So I can unwrap him afterwards."

"At home, I hope; not at the Campbells."

_Home. _That word sounded so good to her ears. She finally had a home. Not a safe house; a home, somewhere she felt safe and looked forward to returning to and it was with a wonderful guy. "Their house is like a mansion and we're spies trained to evade enemies...I'm sure we can sneak off."

"Tempting," he murmured between kisses. "Yet this risk of being compromised is still too high for my liking."

Annie sighed. "You're no fun," she teased, playing with the lapels of his suit jacket.

"I value my life, that's all."

"And I value your life too."

"Later, my dear. Later. Just not at the Campbell's residence."

# # #

If he wasn't expecting him, he would still have known, from the erratic series of knocks on the heavy metal sliding door to his apartment, that it was Barber at the door.

"Hey?" The word had started out as a light and cheery greeting before it had twisted into a question. "Wait, have I overdressed or have you underdressed?"

It may be Christmas Day but with the heating cranked up, sweatpants and nothing else was more than enough for Auggie. "Afraid you're asking the wrong person there, Eric," he muttered, guessing that his friend and colleague had, for once in his life, made some sort of effort. Auggie shrugged his shoulders as he retreated back into the blissful warmth of his living room, not liking the draft from the hallway that had caused goosebumps to ripple on his bare chest. "I'm not going."

Bottles, most likely beer bottles, clinked as Barber followed him into his apartment like a lost puppy. "What the hell? You said you were."

"I've changed my mind." He had his own beer in the fridge and a few audiobooks that he never had the time to start listening to - he was set in his cozy cocoon. "I probably should have told you earlier, I'm sorry," he said, sitting back down on his couch.

The cushions sunk in as Barber plonked himself down beside him. "Look man, is this about Annie and Ryan?"

_Annie and Ryan. _He fought the urge to sigh. "No, it's not about Annie and Ryan." They were grown-ups. Annie was his friend and Ryan was her boyfriend and a decent guy. Christmas with your ex and her new incredibly rich, and judging from what he had heard, incredibly handsome and suave, new love wasn't your usual Christmas.

_Oh, who was he kidding?_ It'd be the most awkward Christmas in the history of Christmases. Yet, maybe if he convinced himself otherwise, it wouldn't be. Maybe...but it seemed like too much effort to put to the test, hence why he couldn't be bothered.

Lying was a better option. He just needed a new excuse to satisfy Barber as to why he wasn't going. Especially as Eric pressed. "Okay but you are aware that it'll probably look like it is if you don't go, right? Oh, and, I'm pretty sure Joan will be pissed if you cancel on her and that...dear God, that is one scary, scary thought." The sofa shook a little as Barber shuddered before chuckling. "Hey, maybe, we'll get invited back over there for New Year's and she'll be serving you up."

Still without an excuse to muster up, he tried to change the subject, with a very rhetorical question. "Are you wearing Cologne?"

Barber sighed. "Yes, I know. I overdressed. Excuse me for never having been to the Campbells before. I just didn't want to show up to their stately home looking like some pauper."

"What are you wearing?" As much as he had adapted to his blindness and was at one with his disability, now was one instance in which he had that sight back, even if it was just for a second, just so he could see what his friend looked like.

"Suit and tie."

Darn...he had been hoping it had been a tuxedo. "Lose the tie. They do not live in a stately home. It'll be more like a nursery, believe me."

"Oh the kid, right," Eric laughed. "I love kids; kids love me. Can't wait to meet the little guy."

_Oh dear God… _"Word of warning: if you make Mackenzie cry, Joan will break your neck."

Silence followed for a few seconds as Auggie's stark, and very real, warning sank in. Then the lost puppy turned into a persistent little puppy, who would not take no for an answer. "Joan will break your neck if you don't show up."

"Fine," he sighed, pushing himself up from the sofa.

"So you're coming?"

"Yes. 'Cause if I don't, you'll stay and make my apartment reek of that damn Cologne. Did you bathe in it?"

"It's probably just your heightened senses, Aug."

"Thankfully for me, heightened senses are urban legend." _Thankfully. _Or he would be passed out on the floorboards from it. Overpowering was just not the word to even come close to describing it.


End file.
